Game apparatus



y 1941- B. B. GIRDEN 2,247,657

GAME APPARATUS Filed April 2, 1940 Patented July 1, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAME APPARATUS Barney B. Girden, Lebanon, Conn.

Application April 2, 1940, Serial No. 327,433

2 Claims.

The invention relates to game apparatus and more particularly to apparatus employed in playing games involving the use of balls impelled either by hand or otherwise against a back board, as exemplified for instance by hand ball and the like. In such games, a suitable ball is batted by hand or by means of a suitable implement against a back board from which the ball rebounds and to which it is returned until a player misses or for some other reason any particular given period of play ceases. The object of the invention is to provide a back board of novel construction which constitutes a target of maximum efliciency and includes means whereby low drives, which otherwise might result in dead or non-returnable balls, are returned and brought into easy driving or playing range. The invention contemplates further the provision of a novel apparatus of indicated type capable of being set up on a suitable table and removably connected therewith in a minimum of time and without material effort. A further object of the invention is to provide a combined back board and angle board which may be easily folded into compact form when not in use. the description hereinafter and the features of novelty will be pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates an example of the invention without defining its limits, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the novel apparatus combined with a table designed for use therewith; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a face elevation of the novelapparatus with the table shown in cross-section, and Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the novel board in a folded, inoperative condition.

In all of its forms the essential features of the invention comprise an upright back board III of suitable dimensions, and an angle board II located at the lower portion of the back board and having a playing face extending therefrom at a predetermined inclination for instance, at an angle of approximately 45 to form an inclined continuation of the playing face of the upright back board. The back board III and its angle board II may be permanently fixed in place in proper playing relation with its associated playing surface or court, which may also be permanently located, or as shown in the drawing, the back board l and its angle board II may be oi. portable form removably combined at will with a suitable table I2 or equivalent horizontal member which in such case provides the associated horizontal playing surface or court.

Any suitable means may be provided for sup- Other more specific objects will appear from porting the back board I0 and its angle board II upon the table I2 and for removably connecting it therewith. As shownin the illustrated example, the supporting means may consist of upright supporting members I3 provided at their lower ends with the base members I4 projecting from the upright members I3 at substantially right angles thereto and connected therewith in any convenient manner. In addition, inclined members l5 extend from the outer ends of the base members I4 to the upright members I3, for instance at angles of 45, and are fastened in place in anysuitable way. In use the upright members I! are located in opposed registry at opposite sides of the table I2 at suitable points thereof with the base members I4 extending along the opposite side edges thereof, and are fixed in place by means of conventional clamps I6 which extend over the base members I4 and beneath the table I2 and include clamping screws I'I arranged to engage the lower face of the table I 2 to develop clamping forces in association therewith.

For the purpose of removably mounting the back board I0 and its angle board in playing position on the supporting means, the upright members I3 may be provided with a plurality of slots I8 preferably of key hole type for th reception and accommodation of beaded projections or screws l9 projecting from the rear face of the back board I0. The parts are so arranged and dimensioned that the back board III will be supported in surface contact with the upright members I3 when the projections or screws I9 are located in the slots I9, and at the same time, the angle board II will rest upon the inclined members I5 and be supported thereby at a corresponding angle of inclination with the lower edge of said angle board II in contiguous relation to the table I2 or equivalent playing surface or court, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. In the preferred form, the angle board is foldably connected with the back board I0 in any convenient manner as by means of hinges 20. When constructed in the portable form shown in the drawing, the back board I 0 and angle board II are of corresponding transverse dimensions and are located in conterminous relation to each other as illustrated in Fig. 1; preferably the transverse width of the associated table I2 is also the same as the corresponding dimensions of the back board III and angle board II. The table I2 may include supporting legs 2| and, in the illustrated example, is divided by a center line 22 into right and left courts 23 and 24 respectively; in addition, a. line 25 may extend transversely across the table in predetermined relation to the anglev board II and a serving box It may be provided in the outside corner of each court.

In describing the utility of the game 'appara tus, it will be assumed that it is being used for 5 playing a game devised by the applicant. and that the'parts are assembled in the manner illustrated in the drawing. In such case, to start the game. the choice of court is decided by chance after which'the winner may pick either v court 23 or 24, but'the initial serve, goes to the right court- 23. The server bounces a suitable ball such fasa conventional ping-pong ball in his serving box 28 and bats it on the first bounce against the back board III or angle board II in a manner to cause the ball to rebound into the opponent's court. Failure to do this successfullycauses the player to lose his serve which in this event, is taken by the other player. This batting of the ball against the back board I. or

after it rebounds from the back board It or angle 5 board ll either before or after the first bounce. In the game under discussion, conventional table tennis bats may be used for propelling the ball against the back board II or angle board Ii.

Obviously, the apparatus may be used for any 30 other game involving the use of a ball and back, board. The advantage of providing the angle board il resides in the fact that any batted ball which impacts against this angle board II will rebound therefrom so as to remain in play. said angle board Ii in addition serving to return low drivesof the ball into easy return playing range and provides with the back board It a continuous impact surface all parts of which are eflective for causing the ball to rebound therefrom 4 and whereby the development of so-called dead balls which fail to properly rebound from the back board are avoided. Instead of having a flat playing surface as shown, the angle board I i may be of other surface configuration dependent upon the results which are desired.

In some forms, the table I! or' its equivalent, may be of suiiicient size to .provide two sets of playing surfaces or courts in tandem arrangement, in which case, the supporting means ex- 5 empliiled by the upright members It and the associated elements may be utilized for supporting two back boards II and angle boards I I. To enable this result to be outlined, the upright memhers I! may be provided with duplicate slots I8 upon opposite surfaces as shown in Fig. 2. This will enable two back boards II and associated angle boards II to be mounted upon opposite sides of the upright members it and angle members l5. With such an arrangement, the table l2 or its equivalent may be used for concurs rently playing two games in association with the oppositely located back boards II and connected angle boards II.

The apparatus described and shown herein enables a number of different types of games to ,be played either alone, or in competition with other players.

In the portable form illustrated in the drawing, the apparatus may beused for playing purposes in a room of small dimensions and in combination with any table. even a small one. For

instance, the back board and connected angle board may be easily attached to and removed from a table such as a conventional ping-pong or table-tennis table. When not in use, the back board l0 and associated angle board may be folded as illustrated in Fig. 4, and stored in a space of small ,dimensions. The apparatus is "simple in construction and capable of withstanding long'and rough usage without becoming disarranged or out of order.-

Various changes in the specific form shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a game apparatus. the combination of a horizontal member having a horizontal playing surface, a back member having a playin surface in upright relation tq said horizontal playing surface of the horizontal member, and an angle member having an unobstructed inclined playing surface projecting from said upright playing surface into contact with said horizontal playing surface of said horizontal member to provide an inclined continuous surface between and in contact with said horizontal playing surface and said upright playing surface.

2. The combination' of a horizontal table, supporting means projecting upwardly from said table in perpendicular relation thereto, a back board removably carried by said supporting means in perpendicular relation to said table, and an unobstructed angle board extending from said back board into contact with said table at an angle to form an inclined continuous playing surface extending from said back board to said horizontal table.

BARNEY B. GIRDEN. 

